Newsroom

Newsroom

Last week’s Cover Story focused on the legal field, but the truth is, it could have applied to any number of major industries. The focus of the story was how Birmingham-based law firms were expanding their footprints – often due to the lack of growth in the local economy. It’s a trend we’ve seen with law firms, accounting firms and construction companies, among many others. Read more …

Vestavia Hills, Birmingham and Jefferson County are looking to partner on an infrastructure initiative at Liberty Park. Vestavia Hills City Council recently voted to team with the other two governments on a capital planning cooperative district to expand Liberty Parkway in support of growth at the area’s commercial district, reports the Vestavia Voice. Read more …

I was flipping through Over The Mountain Journal, when I saw the headline, “Hitting on all cylinders — Mountain Brook Mayor Welch lays out his plans for 2018.” Stewart Welch discussed his efforts to help Mountain Brook merchants and restaurants, then said that four over-the-mountain mayors meet quarterly to discuss how to work with one another. Read more …

“(Birmingham’s future) does not lie in a patchwork of small incorporated towns, each with its own interests …” That quote sounds like something you might have heard in connection with the Together We Prosper initiative to boost regional collaboration. But it’s not where we found it. That quote is actually from a news article from 1949. Read more …

John Archibald recently called Birmingham a joker compared to King Huntsville and Queen Mobile. While you might not like the insult, the underlying message is one our metro area should not ignore. Birmingham is on track to be eclipsed by Huntsville as Alabama’s largest city. This is a blow to our civic pride, no doubt, but it reflects far deeper issues affecting our entire metro area. Read more …

Alabama cheered – as it should have — when Toyota-Mazda chose to bring its 4,000 jobs to Huntsville. It was a coronation of sorts. Hail to the king! Because it’s clear now. No excuses or debates. Huntsville is economic development royalty, Alabama’s head that wears the crown. Read more …

Theoretically speaking, the start of a new year should be one of the most optimistic times of the year. On Jan. 1, anything is possible. It’s a time for planning, resolutions and thinking about what you or your organization could accomplish over the next 12 months. It generally doesn’t take long for that optimism to come face to face with realism. Read more …

“Metro Government” has become a mantra for some citizens while others are terrified of the thought of giving up their smaller, responsive local governments. Consequently, “Metro Government” is a concept unlikely to be achieved among Jefferson County’s 35 municipalities. Perhaps we should discuss voluntary “Regional Cooperation” among County municipalities, the Office of Sheriff, and the Jefferson County Commission. Read more …

The Homewood Chamber of Commerce heard Nov. 15 from Daxko CEO Dave Gray, who spoke about a new Community Foundation initiative, Together We Prosper. Gray said that, between 2000 and 2016, Birmingham’s metro area has experienced job growth of only 0.24 percent. Improving prosperity is the goal of Together We Prosper. Read more …

Together We Prosper author Thomas Spencer joins Midfield Mayor Gary Richardson and WBHM 90.3 journalists Andrew Yeager and Sherrel Stewart to discuss the opportunities and the barriers to more regional cooperation in metro Birmingham. Listen to the conversation …

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry made one thing clear multiple times during her speech that definitely applies to Birmingham: Nashville has been successful in large part because of regional cooperation. Read more …

Innovators and entrepreneurs are key to a community’s economic success, and they will be even more critical in the future. These changes require cities and counties to think differently about what it means to attract investment and jobs. Today, “economic development” means creating an environment where entrepreneurs and innovators can flourish — and where they want to live, work and play. Read more …

Birmingham is undoubtedly facing a number of complex challenges. Poverty and crime are too high. Education must improve. Population and job growth has lagged behind other major Southeastern cities. Key gaps in the workforce must be addressed. But, from our perspective, the most pressing issue in this year’s mayor’s race is not listed above. Instead, it’s regional cooperation. Read more …

At the end of the last election, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook and Hoover were left with new mayors: Ashley Curry, Stewart Welch and Frank Brocato, respectively. Scott McBrayer remained in Homewood. What started out as a casual conversation among the mayors turned into the Over the Mountain Mayors Group, which will meet quarterly to address issues that affect all four cities. Read more …

For almost a year, the vibe around the race to become Birmingham’s next mayor was more like the collegial, pre-race atmosphere at a NASCAR event. The combatants casually rolled into the fray–some sooner, some later. Read more …

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Nick Saban’s famed “Process,” it’s the danger of complacency and getting comfortable with success. It’s a danger with football teams coming off a championship. Read more …

The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (CFGB) last week released the results of a yearlong research project that highlights opportunities for greater regional cooperation across Jefferson County. Read More…

One of the most interesting insights from last week’s Cover Story on the latest bid for regional cooperation was an anecdote shared by the Together We Prosper initiative about a meeting with a local mayor. Read More…

Together we prosper. That’s the message behind a recently launched campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, seeking to buck a trend of fragmentation in the heart of the city and surrounding communities. Read More…

The fragmented nature of metro Birmingham – with its dozens of municipal governments and competing interests – has long been cited by business leaders as an obstacle to long-term prosperity. Read More…

Birmingham has had tremendous growth over the last decade, but it pales in comparison to other major cities in the region. The city has seen just .24 percent growth in average annual employment since 2000. Read More…